Power-operated jumping device



March 22, 1966 B. c. MILLER 3,241,832

POWER-OPERATED JUMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1BERNARD G. MILLER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS March 22, 1966 B. c. MILLER 3,241,832

POWER-OPERATED JUMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 42 FIG 5 FIG 6 BERNARD C. MlLLER INVENTOR.

Byg g A TTORNE Y5 nited States Patent 3,241,832 POWER-OPERATED JUMPINGDEVICE Bernard C. Miller, 6211 45th Ave. NE., Seattle, Wash. Filed Oct.9, 1963, Ser. No. 315,056 6 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) The present inventionrelates in general to amusement and exercising devices of the generalclass known as skipping machines or jumping bars. The device is utilizedfor engaging in the pastime known as in-place rope jumping, without thenecessity of other persons being present to manipulate or swing therope. Jumping devices of the present type are utilized by children foramusement and exercise and also by adults for coordination training andexercise in gymnasium establishments and the like.

The present invention more specifically relates to an improved powerdrive for a jumping device of the type described wherein horizontallydisposed jump bars are carried by a rotatable head or shell with thesole driving means constituting a light frictional contact. The presentinvention also concerns itself with the problem of providing aconstantly rotating jump bar member which is easily removable from itsmountings and which will be rendered harmless in the event that a childor other person contacts the rotatable head or the rotating jump bars.

The primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide ajumping device of the character described having a rotatable jumping barmounting member connected to a suitable power source through africtional drive connection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a jumping deviceof the character described having a readily removable bar mountingmember which is held in rotational position by its own weight and isdriven by a frictional drive connection with a suitable power source.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a jumping deviceof the character described which may be powered by an electric motor orthe like and yet is perfectly safe for use by children withoutsupervision.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a jumping deviceof the type described which has flexible jumping bars and which is soshaped and constructed to be harmless in the event that a child or otherperson falls on the rotating parts or contacts one of the jumping bars.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a jumping deviceof the character described which may be easily dismantled and whichlends itself to easy and econmical manufacture.

The means by which the foregoing objects and advantages are accomplishedare set forth in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the motor mounting arrangement for thejumping device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the overall base assembly for thejumping device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the jumping device in assembledcondition showing the relationship of the jumping arms;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the device showing alternative positioningof the jump arms; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed illustration of a brake joint for the jump arms.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are usedto indicate identical parts in the various views, the preferredembodiment of the present invention comprises a base assembly indicatedgenerally by the numeral 1 and a rotatable bowl-shaped hub memberindicated generally at 2.

The base assembly 1 includes a ground support member 3 shown in circularform in the drawings, which may be of any suitable material such asplywood, plastic or metal, and which is designed to mount a cylindricalhousing 4 which includes a vertical side wall 5 and a fiat circular topwall 6. The side wall 5 includes an annular horizontal flange 7 havingan outside diameter which may be identical to the outside diameter ofsupport ring 3. The flange normally rests on the ring 3 and is securedby means of screws 8. The top wall 6 includes a vertically extendingannular flange 9 for a purpose presently to be described. The housing 4serves to encase an electrical motor 10 and a reduction gear casing 11therefor. The motor 10 and reduction gear housing 11 are supported bymeans of a U-shaped channel member 12 between the upstanding side plates13 and 14, respectively. The channel member 12 is securely fastened tothe housing 4 by means of screw fasteners 15 which pass through thehousing 4 and tabs 16 on the channel member. The gearbox 11 and themotor 10 are rigidly fastened by means of mounting bolts 18 to a crossplate 17 which spans the side plates 13 and 14. The motor 10 includes asuitable lead wire 19 which passes beneath the flange 7 and through asuitable groove 20 in the support ring 3.

An output shaft 21 extends upwardly from the gearbox 11 through asuitable opening in the plate 17 and serves to mount a friction drivedisc 22 secured thereto by means of a set screw 23. The friction drivedisc 22 is in the form of a circular disc the outside diameter of whichis slightly less than the opening provided by the circular flange 9,with the disc 22 being designed to rotate within said opening. The disc22 has an upstanding rim or bead 24 on its top surface which extendscompletely around the periphery of the disc and includes a frustoconicalsurface 25. As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, the surface 25 converges orinclines inwardly toward the center of the disc. The hub portion 26 ofthe disc surrounds the output shaft 21 and provides a mounting for theset screw 23.

Although the driving means for the output shaft 21 has been illustratedas an electrical motor, it will be understood that any suitable powersource may be utilized, such as a hand-wound spring motor or the like.

Mounted on the top wall 6 of the housing 4 is a spacing ring 27 securedthereto by means of screws or the like 28, with the ring 27 serving tomount a second ring 29 secured by means of screws 30. The ring 29 isgenerally flat and has a centrally located opening which has a diameteron the bottom face of the ring which is substantially equal to thediameter of the opening provided by the rim 9. The diameter of theopening on the top side of the ring 29 is substantially greater than thediameter of the opening on the bottom side, thus providing acontinuation of the frusto-conical surface provided by the surface 25when the disc 22 is in place.

Turning now to the details of the hub member 2, as shown in FIG. 4, theconfiguration of the hub is that of an inverted bowl-shaped structure.In practice, the hub 2 may be constructed from any suitable materialsuch as wood, plastic or metal, as desired. The hub 2 includes athickened central portion 31 near its center and a thickwalled rim 32extending completely around its periphery. As shown in FIG. 4, the hub2, in the mounted position, entirely covers the housing 4 with the rim32 of the hub extending closely adjacent the support ring 3. The rim 32of the hub also is provided with a plurality of drilled openings 33 formounting identical radially extending jump bars 34.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a suflicient number of bores 33 may beprovided for mounting various numbers of the jump bars 34 in such amanner that either three or four equidistant bars may be carried by thehub 2. The jump bars 34 are preferably made from a hollow flexiblematerial such as a tube of plastic or may be constructed from any otherlightweight solid flexible material. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the jumpbars 34 may be put together in sections which are connected by a sleeve35. In this manner, the entire unit may be conveniently broken down andpackaged without excess bulk.

Continuing with the details of the hub member 2, the centrally locatedthickened portion 31 provides a flat circular undersurface for securinga circular plate 36. The plate 36 may be fastened to the thickenedportion 31 by means of suitable screw fasteners 37. The plate 36includes a centrally located friction ring 38 which may be integraltherewith, as shown, or may comprise a separate element. The plate 36,including the friction ring 38, is preferably constructed from a moldedplastic material which exhibits the desired frictional characteristicswhen utilized in contact With the rotating drive disc 22. As noted inFIG. 4, the friction ring 38 contacts the upper face of the drive disc22 and includes a beveled outer edge which cooperates with thefrusto-conical surface provided by the surface 25 of the rim 24 on thedrive disc. It will also be noted that, when the hub 2 is in the mountedposition as shown in FIG. 4, the friction ring 38 maintains the plate 36a suflicient distance above the ring 29 to allow clearance for rotationof the hub.

With the relationship shown, the hub 2 automatically seats itself withthe friction drive ring 38 being in face-toface engagement with thedrive disc 22 when the hub is dropped over the housing 4. If, duringoperation, the

. person utilizing the device happens to either step on the jump bars 34or displace the hub 2, the hub 2 merely ceases to rotate since the onlydrive connection between the disc 22 and the hub is the light frictionalcontact between the ring 38 and the disc 22 due to the weight of thehub. In this manner, the device is rendered completely foolproof andsafe for operation by children even though the device is powered by aconstantly operating electric motor.

If desired, the jumping device of the present invention can have a musicbox or phonograph device incorporated therewith and powered from thesame motor. Variances in height of the jumping bars 34 can be providedfor by including another set of the openings 33 at a higher elevation inthe hub member 2, or by providing spacers to be positioned beneath thebase of the ground support memher 3.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the presentinvention provides significant improvements in jumping devices of thecharacter described, with the novel driving arrangement enablingcompletely safe operation of the device by children. Other advantages ofthe present invention include the provision of a simplified structurecapable of economic manufacture and assembly. The arrangement and typesof structural components utilized within the invention may be subjectedto numerous modifications well within the purview of this invention andapplicant intends only to be limited to a liberal interpretation of thespecification and appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A jumping device comprising, a stationary cylindrical housingincluding an opening in the top surface thereof, motor means mountedwithin said housing, a vertical power shaft driven by said motor meansand extending through said opening, a friction drive disc mounted onsaid shaft, a peripheral ridge extending about the top surface of saiddisc and including an inwardly converging surface forming an angleddrive surface, said disc being disposed to rotate with-in said opening,a hollow bowl-shaped shell overlying said housing, said shell having afrusto-conical friction member mounted on the underside thereof incontact with the top surface of said disc to be driven thereby, radiallyextending flexible jump bars mounted on said shell, the weight of saidshell comprising the sole means for maintaining said friction member incontact with said disc.

2. A jumping device comprising, a base member, motor means carried bysaid base, a rotatable drive disc powered by said motor means, said discbeing journaled to rotate in a horizontal plane, a peripheral ridgeextending about the top surface of said disc and including an inwardlyconverging surface forming an angled drive surface, a hollow bowl shapedshell, said shell having a frusto-conical friction surface mounted onthe underside thereof in contact with the top surface of said disc to bedriven thereby, radially extending flexible jump bars mounted on saidshell, the weight of said shell comprising the sole means formaintaining said friction surface in contact with said disc.

3. In a jumping device having a stationary base member, a rotatablemember, and flexible jump arms extending radially from said rotatablemember, a friction drive arrangement for said rotatable membercomprising; motor means carried by said stationary member, a drive discpowered by said motor means and joumaled to rotate in horizontal planeadjacent the top surface of said stationary base member, a friction ringsecured to one side of said rotatable member and adapted to contact saiddisc to be rotated thereby, the weight of said rotatable membercomprising the sole means for maintaining said ring in contact with saiddisc.

4. A jumping device comprising in combination; a stationary base, arotatable friction drive disc carried by said base, means to drive saiddisc, an inverted bowlshaped member overlying said base, jump barsmounted on said bowl-shaped member and extending radially therefrom, anda friction ring on the underside of said bowlshaped member in contactwith said disc whereby the weight of said bowl-shaped rnember maintainssaid ring in driving relation With said disc.

5. A jumping device comprising in combination; a base member, arotatable friction drive member carried by said base, means to drivesaid drive member, a rotatable shell overlying said base, jump barsmounted on said shell and extending radially therefrom, said shellhaving a friction surface on the underside thereof in frictional contactwith said drive member, whereby the weight of said shell maintains saidfriction surface in driving relation to said drive member.

6. The combination according to claim 5, wherein said jump bars areremovably mounted in a selected plurality of openings about theperiphery of said hub, and each of said jump bars comprises a pluralityof flexible rod members joined by hollow sleeves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,838 5/1910Treanor 272-74 2,688,206 9/1954 Nagler 4683 X FOREIGN PATENTS 11,098 5/1905 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

5. A JUMPING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION; A BASE MEMBER, AROTATABLE FRICTION DRIVE MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID BASE, MEANS TO DRIVESAID DRIVE MEMBER, A ROTATABLE SHELL OVERLYING SAID BASE, JUMP BARSMOUNTED ON SAID SHELL AND EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM, SAID SHELLHAVING A FRICTION SURFACE ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF IN FRICTIONAL CONTACTWITH SAID DRIVE MEMBER, WHEREBY THE WEIGHT OF SAID SHELL MAINTAINS SAIDFRICTION SURFACE IN DRIVING RELATION TO SAID DRIVE MEMBER.